Masterpieces of Impressionism

A century and a half ago, a group of unknown French artists made a truly revolutionary breakthrough in art. The innovation and ideas of this movement completely changed the artistic perception of art in the 19th and 20th centuries. The main goal of the Impressionists was to convey an impression – a feeling, and for that, they had to learn to catch the moment to capture the real world in all its variability. Inside the studio, it was impossible to achieve such an effect, so the artists would go "into the world" – to paint outdoors, where they quickly sketched, trying to grasp the natural lighting and the emotional nerve of the moment. The Impressionists did not seek to reflect acute social issues, philosophy, or shock in their work, focusing only on various ways of expressing the impressions of the surrounding everyday life. They did not insist on deep content in their paintings, aiming to "see the moment" and reflect the mood. They were not looking for contrived complexity, remaining alien to any vulgar simplification or trite sentimental banality. Impressionism did not claim elitism, special refined aristocracy, psychological depth, or symbolic subtext; it viewed the world through the unclouded eyes of a curious child. This beautifully illustrated book, written by historian and art critic, art history instructor Alexandra Zhukova, will help you find answers to the following questions:

• Are the Impressionists a group of artists or a style?
• What attracts us so much to the paintings of these masters? 
• Does Impressionism belong to history or does it still exist today?
• What subjects did the Impressionists choose and why?
• How to decode the language of Impressionism?

About the author: Alexandra Vasilievna Zhukova is a historian and art critic, graduated from the history faculty of Saratov University. She works at the Radishchev Art Museum and teaches special courses in art history at the university.